Mike Latham - Man of many parts

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Congratulations very much in order to fellow blogger and man of many parts, including being Chairman of Leigh Rugby League - Mike Latham.

Here he is with the 1895 trophy that Leigh won by beating Featherstone at Spurs' ground in London last weekend.

Mike Latham

How he manages to do all that and still write a cricket blog over the weekend is beyond belief. Mike's enthusiasm for both Rugby League and cricket is well known, as demonstrated by his many books and articles on both games over the years. I am sure I speak for all connected with Cricket From The North, including our faithful regular readers, in adding our congratulations for this great achievement. No doubt he will be looking for a repeat performance later in the season to achieve promotion back to the Super League yet again.

In the meantime we continue to be most grateful for all his cricketing stories, however occasional they may be, which add so much to the content of our long running blog.

A star of the future spotted at Brinscall

 By Mike Latham

 The Ribblesdale Cricket League provides some great entertainment for the PCW (professional cricket watcher) at some lovely grounds. Games between well-matched sides in the league, I’ve found, rarely disappoint, and after careful thought I selected the Ramsbottom Cup tie between Brinscall and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel. It proved an inspired choice.

 The late Alan West, cricket historian, BBC Radio Lancashire cricket reporter and Lancashire CCC scorer, was a great enthusiast for the Ribblesdale League and wrote its centenary history in 1992. It’s a great read and can still be sourced on Ebay or via reputable cricket book dealers.

 The League suffered a mass withdrawal in 1951 when several established members left to form a newly constituted Northern League, including Blackpool, Chorley, Darwen, Fleetwood, Lancaster, Leyland, Leyland Motors, Morecambe, and St Annes. The wounds from that split took a long time to heal and it to the great credit of the Ribblesdale League that it not only survived but thrived.

 Since Alan’s history was written the league lost Blackburn Northern, who became defunct, and Clitheroe and Great Harwood to the Lancashire League expansion. It now has 13 senior clubs in membership in addition to Burnley Belvedere, Chatburn and Stacksteads who play in the junior league. Read are the only founder club with an unbroken membership.

 

Views of the West Pennine Moors from Brinscall’s School Lane ground

 Brinscall is a small village between Chorley and Blackburn and is at the heart of the local community. The cricket club was formed in 1852 but it is only in recent years that they joined the Ribblesdale League after many years of membership of the now defunct Chorley and District League.

 They are a well-run club and have the wherewithal to employ an overseas professional, Nisal Fransisco from Sri Lanka, and host an overseas amateur, this year a young South African all-rounder from Pretoria by the name of Zadian Muller.

 Ossie’s pro, by comparison, is of local stock, 23-year-old all-rounder Brad Boddie from Rishton, who is in his first season in the role. It’s a big task for a young player to undertake this responsibility and it can either make or break you.

 

Brad Boddie hits out

 Ossie batted first on a dry but chilly afternoon and reached 202/7 in their 40 overs, thanks largely to an outstanding 128 off 122 balls from Boddie. He played a true pro's innings, arriving in the second over, out in the last and went up several gears after reaching 40, batting with great responsibility and fluency. He will long remember his first century as a professional.

 When Ossie lost their fourth wicket for 82 runs in the 24^th over a lot of pressure was on Boddie, then unbeaten on 40, to get them to a competitive total. He rose to the challenge superbly and his side scored 83 off the last ten overs thanks largely to his efforts.

 

Muller to Boddie

 Muller had bowled an impressive first spell of left arm medium fast and then showed great maturity with the bat, dominating a second wicket stand of 105 with Fransisco. Boddie, who was nursing an injury, then came into the attack and tempted his opposite number to be caught in the deep from his first delivery, for 31. But he was unable to complete the over.

 Muller moved smoothly to his first century for Brinscall, with some lovely clean and selective hitting and judicious shot-making and looked a class player.

 

Zaidan Muller congratulated on reaching his century

 But when he had made 112 came off 107 balls (including ten fours and four sixes), Muller was out caught, leaving his side 168/3, needing 35 off 43 balls. Ossie spied their chance, bowling and fielding with renewed zest and Steven Hawke’s 31 and skipper Peter Berry’s unbeaten 16 were vital contributions as Brinscall got over the line with two balls to spare with five wickets in hand.

 It was a great game played in good spirit and a good advert for the Ribblesdale League. The scorers provided live scoring on the Play Cricket app, which is a wonderful resource for the PCW. Thanks so much to them. As for young Zadian Muller, remember the name.

Batsmen prosper in National Club Knock Out.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

One of the many cup competitions currently going on is the ECB club championship, or assuming the most recent sponsors are still with us, the Royal London club championship. This competition which attracts the leading clubs throughout the country gets very little publicity and is perhaps part of what is known in some circles as 'Cricket's hidden agenda'. Something of a breakthrough has occurred this season with the Yorkshire Post newspaper, well known for it's coverage of local league cricket on Monday mornings, somehow managing to give the full results of the the two north eastern groups so far this season.

The two groups covering Yorkshire and the North East reached the semi-final stages this last weekend. In group one Appleby Frodingham from the Yorkshire League South beat Hartlepool from the North Yorkshire & South Durham League and will now meet Woodlands from the Bradford League, who won a very high scoring game with Richmondshire, also from the NY & SD League. Appleby Frodingham, from Scunthorpe are perhaps unlikely area finalists, having had a bye in the first round and a walkover against South Kirby in the second.

Cricket at Richmond.

The game at Richmond saw the home side make 312-3 in their allotted forty overs, with a century from skipper Robert Carr. However Woodlands, losing finalists in the Yorkshire Leagues final at Headingley last season, batted consistently with three fifties together with a not out century from New Zealander Brad Schmulian, to win by six wickets, with four overs to spare.

In Group two South Northumberland, from Gosforth near Newcastle, were no doubt favourites. So it proved with a convincing 86 runs victory over Stockton, following an opening stand of over 200 from veteran Simon Birtwisle and former Durham youngster Sol Bell, who made 137. The other group semi-final was the game we saw at Clifton Park, York. The home side, already topping Yorkshire League North with six consecutive victories, were again perhaps just favourites against a strong Barnard Castle side.

Karl Carver, once of Yorkshire, now top man at Barnard Castle.

The visitors, from just north of the Tees, batted first. Their openers Finn Usher and skipper James Quinn added fifty to establish a good start, but the advent of spinner Dave Brent produced two wickets in his first over. He had Usher caught at slip by Wade for 28, then three balls later overseas player Samarth Seth lbw for nought. Enter Karl Carver, the former Yorkshire left arm spinner, who managed to stop the rot and was indeed still there at the end of the innings with a fine 91 not out, unluckily missing out on a century. Quinn had made a useful 43 before being bowled by Ryan McKendry. Carver received good support from Richard Borrowdale and Josh Bousfield to set a challenging total of 233-6.

Cricket at Clifton Park, York.

York's top three all made useful contributions in the twenties and thirties, but at 120-3 the game seemed in the balance. However captain Ryan McKendry and Guy Darwin put on a century partnership to turn the game back York's way. It was still in the balance when McKendry was dismissed for a splendid 84, closely followed by Charlie Elliott. Darwin held his nerve with wicketkeeper Tom Brooks at the other end and the scores were level with one ball remaining. Everyone missed it and the ball went for four byes to give York the narrowest of victories.

Ryan McKendry, batting for York.

The group finals are scheduled to take place on Sunday 19th June. Woodlands are at home to Appleby Frodingham and South Northumberland at home to York. Both games start at 1 p.m. Other games on that date in the north of England include Furness of Barrow against Northern from Crosby and Wallasey of Cheshire against Leigh from Lancashire. With sixteen groups in all nationwide the competition for the winners will no doubt be fierce, including last year's winners Bath from Somerset.

A first as far as we can tell

 posted by John Winn

Last Saturday evening, encouraged by the news from Headingley that Jordan Thompson had removed the first three Warwickshire batsmen in quick time, I was fairly sure that the next day would see me in LS6 and in a frame of mind between hope and expectation that Yorkshire would take the remaining seven wickets required to clinch their second championship of the season. Next morning however a more cautious mood prevailed and I decided against making the 45 minute journey. By five in the afternoon when Patterson and Rhodes shook hands on the draw after the latter and Hain had defied Yorkshire's efforts to part them for the entire day's play I decided that I had made the right decision.

And that was that, or so I thought until Monday afternoon when I received an email from my friend John Gawthrope, an email that had been circulated as far as the East Riding, which raised the question

 'Was this the first instance in YCCC's history that they had failed to take a single wicket in a full day's play of championship cricket? 

My conclusion after research that has taken me back as far as Cheltenham in 1876 when WG Grace and WO Moberley added 261, still Gloucestershire's record fifth wicket against Yorkshire, is Yes, an opinion shared by everybody else I have been in touch with over the past week. 

Although I have delved into the nineteenth century and looked at stands between Abel and Hayward at The Oval (448) and Palairet and Hewett at Taunton (346) and more recently Barnet and Tweats at Derby in 1997 (417) and Billings and Stevens at Headingley in 2019 (346) I can not find an example that answers John's question with a 'no'.

The partnership that has most occupied my attention is one made at The Ageas Bowl in 2011 when it was still smelling of roses and where Michael Carberry and Neil Mackenzie posted what remains the highest stand against Yorkshire in first class cricket. This amounted to 523 from 135 overs and 1 ball spread over 7 hours 55 minutes. Replying to Yorkshire's 532 all out (Rudolph 99, McGrath 115) Hampshire were 59 for 2 when the pair came together and by close of play on the second day had taken the score to 116 for 2. The third day was affected by morning rain, only 52 overs were bowled and the score at stumps was 291 for 2, Carberry 140, McKenzie 95 and it was not until two balls after tea on the final day that McKenzie was out for 237, ct Ballance bowled Wainwright. Carling reached his triple hundred shortly after McKenzie's dismissal, Hampshire then declared and Rudolph and Sayers added 40 before stumps were drawn.  The stand is the highest ever for the third wicket in the county championship.and remains the third highest stand for any wicket, beaten only by two Yorkshire partnerships.*

Leaving aside the pedantry that says that there was not a full day's play last Sunday because the game finished at 5:00  Hain and Rhodes are now part of Yorkshire's history, albeit on the deficit side of the ledger. Whether they are aware of this distinction is not known.

* 555 (1st wicket) Holmes and Sutcliffe Yorkshire v Essex at Leyton 1932

554 (1st wicket) Brown and Tunnicliffe Yorkshire v Derbyshire Chesterfield 1898

Two centurions at Weetwood

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Thursday 26th May saw MCC playing Leeds/Bradford University at Weetwood, Leeds in one of the large number of out matches played by the club every season against schools, universities and clubs throughout the country. The MCC side is usually made up of local club cricketers, but this season the side included two notable Australians and several players from the south of England, of which two were former players for the University side. Unfortunately the wet morning weather reduced the game from fifty overs a side to forty, then a further shower reduced it further to 34 overs a side.

The windswept scene at Weetwood.

Nevertheless, when the strong winds took the rain clouds away, it produced a fine sunny early evening in which the game came to a thrilling last over conclusion. MCC in time honoured tradition batted first. One of the opening batters (!) soon impressed and my enquiries discovered that this was William Bosisto, an Australian currently playing for Todmorden in the Lancashire League. Further research revealed that he had played first class cricket for both Western Australia and South Australia and had indeed captained the Australian under 19s in the 2012 World Cup.

So quite a pedigree and Bosisto dominated the MCC innings throughout. After a century for Todmorden last weekend he did even better, being not out 161 at the end of the innings, hitting eighteen fours and three sixes. Runs came thick and fast, with no maiden overs during the whole game. The next highest scores were just 21 and 20 from two players from Cheshire, in Alex Money and Sam Perry. The latter is currently captain of Durham University and recently scored a century for MCC against his own side.

Bosisto reaches his century.

The other Australian in the side was Patrick Rowe, currently playing for Banstead cricket club in Surrey. He scored 213 not out for them in a recent cup game, but made only four today, when a mid-innings collapse took the score from 154-1 to 171-4. Rowe is another Australian under 19 player as batsman/wicketkeeper, but did not keep today as this was done by Rob Peyton from South Northumberland.

Tom Rash, a veteran Suffolk Minor Counties player, captained the MCC side, which also included former University players Joe Ellis-Grewall, captain of Wanstead in Essex, and Alex MacQueen, once of Surrey seconds, now playing with North Middlesex. Rash made a brief appearance but the other two were not required to bat as Bosisto continued to dominate proceedings, taking the final score to 250-5 in 34 overs. Two wickets each for Ibtesam Ul Haq, son of Inzamam, and for Joe Pocklington the left arm spinner from Sussex, now appearing in the Bradford League.

Will Bosisto applauded into the pavilion.

  

The light roller into action between innings.

When the University batted they lost skipper Nick Keast early on, but thereafter a partnership of 155 between Henry Dobson and Sam Dorsey swung the game very much the home side's way. Sam Dorsey is a Lancastrian and has played for Lancashire seconds in the past, whereas Henry Dobson is yet another cricketer from Cheshire. Apparently this was his first appearance for the University this season, having been injured. He certainly took full advantage and became the game's second centurion with a commanding innings of 122 in just 90 balls, containing nineteen fours.

Dobson reaches his century.

Henry Dobson.

Dorsey gave him good support with an innings of 66, but when they were both out, and closely followed by Tom Keast, the game still had to be won. After a hesitant start, the pairing of Ibtesam Ul Haq and Hishaam Khan, who was to play for Yorkshire seconds the following day, settled things down and seemed to have reached the Duckworth/Lewis target shown  on the scoreboard of 254 with one over remaining. After some confusion the umpires decided one more run was required. However, the game ended in anti-climax as Bosisto bowled a wide with the first ball of the last over.

Leeds/Bradford University in the run chase.

So a memorable game of cricket which rewarded the handful of spectators who waited through the rain breaks and were able to enjoy an eventful days cricket with some interesting players, many of whom we were seeing for the first time. Many thanks are due to the University scorer Steve Ward, who kindly sent me the immaculate full scorecard of the match. He also advised that Leeds/Bradford have reached the semi-final stage of the BUCS competition and will be away to Durham University on Monday 30th May. Anybody in the vicinity of the Racecourse Ground should get a good day's entertainment.

Headingley visit brings memories alive

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Having cancelled a proposed visit to Lord's for the Middlesex v Durham game, like John Winn I was at Headingley for much of the game with Warwickshire. Not quite the celebration of yet another major birthday I had planned, but one which brought back many memories from the past. The first surprise came with a chance conversation with a gentleman of the same age, who recalled being at Headingley for the first Test Match after the war with South Africa in 1947. Like me he has almost total recall of how the unlikely pairing of Bill Edrich and Harold Butler opened the bowling for England and got the visitors all out before the close of day one. Then the huge roar from the crowd as Hutton and Washbrook appeared to open the England innings and Hutton went on to score a century.

Birthday sunshine at Headingley.

The next surprise came on day three (Saturday) when I was presented with a birthday card from my friends and colleagues on the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation Reminiscing Zoom series which kept many of us sane during lockdown and thereafter. Included inside the card was the scorecard of another game between Yorkshire and Warwickshire which took place at Edgbaston on the day I was born!

On this occasion the game ended in a high scoring draw with Warwickshire taking first innings points just before the end of the game. Amazingly of the twenty two players involved I managed to see thirteen of them in action, either in wartime charity games, post war county cricket or Birmingham League games. Famous names like R.E.S. Wyatt and Tom Dollery scored centuries for Warwickshire and Frank Smailes, batting at number eight made a rare one for Yorkshire.

On lunchtime of the same day I was invited to attend a session in the Yorkshire Museum hosted by Yorkshire Archives expert Brian Sanderson, who talked us through several fascinating scorecards of previous Yorkshire v Warwickshire games with many memorable names from the past, together with others perhaps long forgotten. One of the names which cropped up for Warwickshire in 1946 was Eric Houghton, the famous Aston Villa and Notts County winger from pre-war days, who later became manager of Aston Villa and continued to play second eleven cricket for Warwickshire into the 1950s.

So many great memories from the past but what about the current game. The most welcome aspect for me was that Yorkshire fielded a side made up almost entirely of home grown players, with Dom Bess the only import on the field. Added to this with two notable former Yorkshire Academy players in the visiting side in Will Rhodes and Oliver Hannon Dalby it made one realise just how much the Academy has given to the English game over the years. How sad that they were withdrawn from the Yorkshire League North at a very late date this season, when the fixtures had already been announced, due one understands not to the most appropriate of motives.

Will Rhodes and Oliver Hannon-Dalby in one day mode for Warwickshire.

How good to see Will Rhodes score his century on the final day, along with Sam Hain, an achievement which must have given him great pleasure. Hannon-Dalby almost bowled himself into the ground, including a most economical early spell which had Adam Lyth almost scoreless for long periods. However full marks to the man from Whitby for sticking with it and coming good with his much needed century in the end.

Root, Lyth and Brook alongside wicketkeeper Duke.

The other highlight for me was to see Matt Revis score a most confident first half century and to bowl well into the bargain. The 'Sedbergh three' of Brook, Hill and Revis will be ones to watch hopefully for a long time to come. The saddest part of the game was saying our goodbyes to fellow spectators, saying 'See you again in September', when as John Winn has pointed out the next championship cricket will be played at Headingley.

The stalemate of day four did however bring to mind a similar event which took place as long ago as 1949, when Sussex batted out the last day to achieve a draw of similar proportions. Reference to Wisden recalls that Yorkshire bowled out Sussex for 181 before making 520-7 (Vic Wilson 157 not out and Ted Lester 112). Sussex then lost three wickets fairly cheaply before James Langridge 133 not out and George Cox 212 not out batted out the final five hours twenty minutes. All ten Yorkshire players, with the exception of wicketkeeper Jack Firth had a bowl, but to no avail.

A Lyth alive o

 posted by John Winn

Midway through the afternoon's play at Headingley on Thursday Adam Lyth, not for the first time this season, dropped a slip catch, a mistake sufficient to arouse one member to demand Lyth's  removal from the field. Who should effect this removal was not made clear, Lyth stayed and shortly afterwards held onto a difficult chance and was engulfed by his team mates led by fellow 'slipper' Joe Root. Shortly after five thirty Lyth opened the batting with George Hill, hit his first ball for four and at close of play had added three more to his total. 

When with my friend Arthur Bartle I left the ground at 3:30 the next day Lyth was still at the crease and nearing his century which he achieved in due course and when rain came to shorten the day he was 118 not out, a score he increased to 145 before being fifth out on Saturday. With good support from Harry Brook, Lyth had  helped Yorkshire to a lead of over 200. This looked like a winning margin when Thomson had three bears back in the pavilion in quick time leaving the county champions 57 for 3 at stumps. Alas, from a Yorkshire viewpoint wickets have been hard to come by so far today and as I type, just after two o'clock, Hain and Rhodes have added 124 for the fourth wicket and reduced the deficit to 56*.  A week ago Yorkshire denied Lancashire by stubborn fourth day resistance, will they be on the receiving end of similar obduracy today? 

After today's matches, which complete a busy schedule for the eighteen counties, T20 takes over for three weeks before the red ball comes back for just one round of matches on June 12th, the first of four cameo appearances before resuming normal service in September. Devotees of this form of the game are expected to console themselves that this is better than last year. Not so easy if you are a Yorkshire member who does not want to travel to Scarborough, a 220 mile round trip if you live in Todmorden. The next championship cricket at Headingley is on Monday September 12th, a tad short of four months. Crackers. 

* now just 13 and still only three down.

150 years of cricket at Philiphaugh

 By Mike Latham

Selkirk are celebrating 150 years of cricket at their glorious Philiphaugh ground this season and their informative club website has more details of several events they have planned to mark the anniversary.

The cricket ground is part of a sporting hub in this lovely Borders town, with the rugby union club and football club adjoining.

The club’s formation dates to 1851 and William Anderson wrote a splendid centenary history covering the period to 1951, copies of which can still be sourced from cricket booksellers or on eBay.

The book covers each season in fascinating detail, not only chronicling the deeds of the cricketers but forming a fascinating social history of the town.

Cricket was first introduced to Selkirk, Mr Anderson tells us, by two Yorkshiremen named Humber and Newbury who came north to fix up new looms in the tweed mills. With the enthusiastic support of several local gentlemen, they got the cricket club up and running.

Looking across to the Philiphaugh pavilion

The present ground at Philiphaugh was inaugurated on 8 June 1872 with a game against the prestigious Edinburgh-based Grange CC, meaning that this is a special year indeed.

As cricket grew in popularity in the Borders, Selkirk employed a professional player each season to play, coach and also be the club groundskeeper.

Dan Broddy, from Armley, was a successful pro and during his three-year stint at the club was credited with greatly improving the batting of the local players. His last year (in 1896) coincided with the appointment at local rivals Gala of an up-and-coming lad from the Huddersfield area, by the name of Wilfred Rhodes.

A view over the gate

Rhodes stayed at Gala for two years, taking a total of 169 wickets at an average of 7.21 and paving the way for a stellar county and international career with Yorkshire and England. But in a total of five games against Selkirk he was on the winning side only once.

Broddy’s replacement was Owen Firth of Redcar who eclipsed Rhodes’s average, taking 167 wickets in two seasons at a combined average of 6.21.

In the past Selkirk competed in the Border Cricket League, meaning a series of competitive derby games. These days the new structure in the East of Scotland pyramid means the opposition is mainly drawn from Edinburgh and surrounding towns and villages.

Tranent & Preston Village were the visitors and struggled to 101 in exactly 40 overs, A Ganti making more than half their total with an unbeaten 54 despite requiring the assistance of a runner for most of his innings.

Glorious views beyond the adjoining football ground

The locals fancied their chances at tea, but they were to be disappointed as the Souters (as Selkirk are known) were bowled out for 78 in reply.

I'm writing a book on Kent's tour of Scotland in 1925. The opening match, a two-day affair, was against South of Scotland at Selkirk in which the great Frank Woolley was among the participants. Dual cricket and football international Wally Hardinge and the prolific leg-break bowler Tich Freeman were also in the Kent side.

The South side included Willie Bryce, Selkirk’s Scottish international halfback, a serving MP (Lord Dalkeith) and a future Prime Minister (Sir Alec Douglas-Home, then known as Lord Dunglass).

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, then known as Earl Haig, the commander of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front during the first world war, was among the spectators.

Over the wall

Having spent three years researching the events and personalities of the tour, in conjunction with my Norfolk based author and historian friend Mike Davage, it was great to visit the cricket ground while play was in progress.

I’d previously seen football and rugby union at Philiphaugh and so I completed a ‘hat-trick.’

Selkirk have only nine home league games per season, so you have to take the chance when it presents itself.

I'm glad I did, it's a historic and wonderful ground.

 

Cricket thrives at Bamburgh

 By Mike Latham

There’s barely been a week gone by without a television programme on Bamburgh over the past few months.

Whether it’s archaeological remains, a tour around the castle, the Farne islands and lighthouses, the Hairy Bikers dining on the beach, the bravery of Grace Darling or an episode of Countryfile then Bamburgh features large.

Amidst this idyllic scene cricket prospers thanks to the dedication of the locals and Bamburgh Castle CC is in a good place, literally and metaphorically.

Secretary Billy Wright tells me that his request for fixtures from touring sides has reached record numbers and that the squad of players from which Bamburgh can select players is around the 20-mark, with several more available at various times.

The club plays Sunday friendly games from late April to September, most at home, occasionally away, plus a few midweek fixtures. The matches are played in the same format, 35-overs per side.

Visitors to the area fancying a game or to umpire are requested to get in touch and this friendly club will do their best to accommodate you.

Two umpiring friends of mine are donning their white coats for games this summer while on holiday.

The club has continued to make strides over the winter. A new website has been developed (www.bamburghcricket.co.uk) and an electronic scoreboard now graces the ground.

Long-serving scorer Dave Parmley still scores conventionally with his trusty scorebook but now keeps the scoreboard easily updated instead of having to ask the batting team members to change the tins after every over.

And the lovely clubhouse, which doubles up as the village hall, is back selling tea, coffee, and cake at modest prices after two years of being unable to operate during the pandemic.

The home team are now neatly kitted out in distinctive black and amber caps and jumpers and the attention to detail even stretches to the boundary flags which have the castle emblem.

A full fixture list has again been arranged and last Sunday the visitors were friendly local rivals Tillside, from the village of Etal.

This was already Bamburgh’s fourth game of the season and having won their opening three fixtures, the home side were in good spirits.

Club volunteers spent the morning getting the square ready and marking out the boundary. As part of their agreement with the landowner, they mow the green twice a week, to a very high standard.

A large marquee had occupied part of the outfield on the Saturday for a wedding, but this was hastily taken down on the Sunday morning.

The day was fine but chilly and a decent-sized crowd attended the start. Some are local devotees, many of whom pay their annual vice=presidents fee which ensures the club’s survival.

Others were tourists and day-trippers making their way to and from the glorious beach behind the dunes.

Even those not of a cricketing persuasion stop a while and soak up the scene, getting out their mobile phones or cameras to take a picture or two of quintessentially English scenes, cricket on the village green to the backdrop of a magnificent castle.

You can park on the boundary edge, bring a picnic and a folding chair, and bring the family and the dog. There’s plenty for everyone and for those whose attention is elsewhere, the pubs and cafes of Bamburgh and the award-winning beach and dunes are a short stroll away.

Bamburgh have a decent side these days and are in the habit of winning cricket matches. It’s a good habit to get into. Their side, captained by Andrew Wright, Billy’s son, has the proverbial mixture of youth and experience.

Tillside have developed a lot of players through their excellent youth programme and are a shining example of how a village club in a sparsely populated rural area can prosper given the dedication and direction of a band of committed volunteers. Last season their First XI won promotion to the top division of the Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League.

Unfortunately, on this occasion, many of their best players were missing and they suffered a chastening defeat by 141 runs. Dave Parmley has already updated the website with his entertaining match report.

Bamburgh openers Harry Sutherland (74) and Cam Nicholls (51) compiled a stand of 100 which provided the backbone of their side’s 194 for 3. Tillside subsided to 53 all out in reply. Disappointingly one-sided but still a good occasion with the scene one to savour.

For a few hours you can slip back in time to when cricket was fun and part of a simpler way of life.

 

 

 

Durham beat Glamorgan

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Managed to see the first three days of an intriguing County Championship game between Durham and Glamorgan at the Emirates Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street. This was a contest which swung one way and then another throughout. Always something happening and riveting to watch. Two of the outstanding cricketers of the current international scene Ben Stokes, newly announced captain of England for Durham, and Marnus Labuschagne, the prolific Australian batsman for Glamorgan.

The teams line up at the Riverside.

Two Yorkshire umpires -Wharfe and Middlebrook.

The visitors won the toss and in the current fashion invited Durham to bat. They did get a valuable wicket early on, that of Sean Dickson, who has been scoring runs a plenty in recent times. He was caught by Sam Northeast, who one thinks should be playing for Durham, off the bowling of another Australian test player, Michael Neser. Indeed there is very much an international flavour about this Glamorgan side. Both Labuschagne and Neser were born in South Africa yet played for Australia. Chris Cooke the wicketkeeper is yet another South African and opening bowler Michael Hogan is an Australian, but with a British passport.

Alex Lees batting for Durham.

After this early setback Alex Lees got his head down to play a typical resolute innings of 44, partnered by yet another South African in Keegan Petersen, who made his highest score for the county with 78. Borthwick and Bedingham both fell quite cheaply, at which stage Ben Stokes took over. No initial fireworks like his innings at Worcester last week, but a sensible knock of 82, with two sixes off Labuschagne towards the end of his two and half hour stay.

The Glamorgan team return to the pavilion.

Neser was the most economical of the Glamorgan bowlers with figures of 16 - 5 -36 - 2, Hogan bowled the same number of overs but was more expensive. However he plugged away as ever and finished with 4-67. Andrew Gorvin, a relative newcomer from Hampshire, also bowled tidily and picked up the valuable wicket of Bedingham. Van der Gugten on the other hand had to come off injured half way through an over and did not bowl again in the match.

Ben Stokes settles in.

Keegan Petersen made his highest score for Durham.

Eckersley and Raine also contributed to a useful Durham total of 311 all out. Potts, very much Durham's in form bowler, then got to work to leave Glamorgan 31-2 at the close of day one, by removing Salter and then night watchman Gorvin. Next morning Rushworth soon got skipper Lloyd caught in the slips by Borthwick and Glamorgan were struggling at 32-3. Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson both made valuable fifties, but could not go on to play a really big innings.

The floodlights were on for the final session of play.

When Cooke became Potts' fourth victim on 163-7 Durham might have thought they were into the tail. However, enter Billy Root, younger brother of Joe, at number eight. He has been having a poor season and out of the team, but earlier this week made 175 not out for the second team and, despite coming in so low down, played the innings of the day to help Glamorgan to a first innings lead. He received good assistance from Neser, who has scored a first class century in Australia, in a partnership of 113 for the eight wicket.

Michael Potts on the boundary edge.

Neser and Root were both dismissed in controversial fashion by Ben Raine, both unhappy with the umpires decision and later in the game five penalty runs were added to Durham's second innings score because of their dissent. There had earlier been a couple of incidents with Glamorgan in the field considering that two appeals at least had been unfairly turned down by umpire Alex Wharf. However Timm van Gugten at number ten, struggling with an injury and with Labuschagne as a runner managed 38 not out at the end to take Glamorgan into a lead of 54. One of the features of the innings was the untidy bowling of Ben Stokes with 0-69 from twelve overs.

Billy Root not happy with his dismissal.

On day three Durham recovered well from 41-3 again with a very patient 61 from Lees and a more aggressive 90 from skipper Borthwick, who was unlucky to miss out on a century when bowled to the delight of Labuschagne, who also had the satisfaction of removing Stokes for 26. The home side's progress was limited by an excellent and accurate spell from off spinner Andrew Salter, who at one stage tied the batsmen down completely. Durham subsided to 249 all out, leaving Glamorgan with only 196 to win. Potts was soon among the wickets again and when Labuschagne fell to Raine from the last ball of day three, Durham were back in the hunt.

We missed the final day having travelled back to Headingley where Yorkshire managed a draw with Lancashire, but were able to watch Durham complete an emphatic victory on the live stream, thanks again to Potts, with yet another career best performance of 7-40. Carse chipped in with a couple of wickets and Eckersley took five catches behind the stumps.  A great performance by the home side after the frustrations of not being able to bowl opponents out in their previous games.

Red Rose flourishes after noon

 posted by John Winn

When Yorkshire skipper Steve Patterson won the toss at Headingley yesterday it marked his seventh successive correct call but contrary to what used to be accepted practice he did not choose to bat but gave Lancashire that privilege. Before noon, with Wells and Bohannon back in the pavilion, and with only twelve runs having come from eleven overs, Patterson's move looked a smart one. At 5:30 and 237 runs later when Croft was lbw Rauf for 104  the gloss had worn off and in his post match interview 'Patto' owned up to a frustrating day in which Lancashire had been 'let off the hook', an obvious reference to chances that had not been taken when the two centurions (Jennings finished the day on 150 not out) were still in single figures, bringing the number of catches Yorkshire have spilled this season into the high teens.  Given that in his evening interview the skipper also made reference to 'a decent surface' and being 'light on bowling' his decision made at 10:30 looked all the more puzzling. 

Lest readers think I have signalled Patterson out for unfair criticism he was by no means alone in choosing to field for in the 8 matches started yesterday in only two did the successful skipper opt to bat and in the six games where sides were inserted the average score was 324 for 5. Food for thought. Perhaps this piece of advice on what to do when winning the toss should be written on the dressing room wall 'if you are sure bat, if you are not sure think about it then bat'. Not quite as succinct as Mr Punch's advice to young men contemplating marriage* but not far off.

If choosing to field smacks of caution, and I think it does then this state of mind has also been apparent in 'target setting' this season. There have been several instances where counties have set daunting fourth innings targets only to have failed to bowl their opponents out. Durham, relying almost entirely on right arm seam to take wickets, have twice failed by a distance to turn draws into wins. Last Sunday having gained a first innings lead of 271 they felt unable to enforce the follow on, set Worcestershire almost 450 to win and when Borthwick and D'Oliveira finally shook hands to confirm the draw, Durham's fourth day efforts had yielded but one wicket. A few weeks earlier the game against Leicestershire had followed a similar pattern when the Foxes lost only two wickets having been set nearly 400. 

Last Saturday I spent an hour at the pleasant ground at North Stainley, just a few miles north of Ripon where MCC paid a visit to play the Nidderdale League a couple of seasons ago. Saturday's fare was a division two match from that league with Ouseburn CC the visitors. Ouseburn were batting when I arrived. A steady 74 from opener Peter Carr anchored  the innings and 212 for 9 looked a decent target. So it proved with North Stainley bowled out for 167 and young Jonty Moorhouse taking 5 for 40. Ouseburn's 100% record sees them top of the table after three matches but sterner tests lie ahead starting with a trip to Burton Leonard tomorrow.

* Don't. 

North Stainley CC